Page 108 of Maxim

“Let her go,” Maxim demands, raising his gun.

The man behind me clicks his tongue before he speaks.

“I told you not to bring her back here. This place is dangerous for her. Looks like I’ll need to take care of her. You better leave before you end up dead.” Szymon’s voice fills my ear, and I freeze.

I always knew he had a thing for me, but the way he is speaking almost sounds like it is more than a crush.

Could he be in love with me?

“Go get the children,” I tell Maxim.

His eyes are conflicted. He wants to stay with me, but he can’t.

“Remember your promise,” I remind him.

He curses but nods. “This isn’t over. If you hurt her, I will kill you.”

Then he takes off down the hall toward Alek’s room.

“Ah, alone at last. Let’s have a chat, shall we?”

Then he backs into the room, shutting and locking the door. When he lets me go, I turn to face him.

He looks crazed.

“Where shall we start?”

I swallow hard.

Anything for the kids.

Leaving Olena is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Everything inside of me is screaming to go back and save her from that man.

I made her a promise, though. One that I will keep at all costs. I will rescue the children, and then I will rescue her. I won’t let that man have her for longer than I have to.

Daryna’s room was empty. I didn’t want to head back in to check more thoroughly in case Szymon decided to kill me anyway, so I headed toward Alek’s room.

Opening the door, I poke my head inside. It also looks empty, but I step inside and close the door anyway. I need to make a plan. It almost seems like they were ready for us. As if someone told them we would be here tonight.

Taking a deep breath, I start to look around. That’s when I hear it.

The slight sob from the closet.

Opening the door, I’m shocked when a small boy flies out at me, stabbing me in my chest with a knife.

I grunt but manage to get the boy under control.

“Stop,” I hiss. “Olena sent me to get you.”

“I don’t believe you. You hurt her,” Alek spits back.

“Only because I had to. Your father would not have let her leave with me had I not. I’ve done everything I can to protect your sister.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Where is she?”

“Down the hall. I need to save her, but she wanted me to save you. So you can either take a leap of faith, or I knock you out and drag you out of here so I can go get her. You are wasting time.”

He frowns. “I don’t trust you.”